


In the Land of Gods and Monsters

by likeromeoandjuliet



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, High School, Northside Jughead Jones, Southside Serpent Betty Cooper
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-04
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-05-29 22:28:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15083078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/likeromeoandjuliet/pseuds/likeromeoandjuliet
Summary: Southside High is shut down. A new year starts at Riverdale High with new students.  Betty Cooper likes the freedom of her bike and danger. Jughead Jones likes the recklessness in her eyes, he falls into them. When the Southside and the Northside face each other, there’s conflict and hatred and Betty just really wants the year to end. Jughead Jones wishes the year would last longer just to see her everyday. They all say she’s dangerous and they say she’s beautiful. Jughead figures they’re right about it all.





	1. Serpents and Bulldogs

I

The cigarette hung from her lips as she leaned against the motorcycle. Ronnie stood a few feet away in all her might, rambling on about how Archie never seemed to make up his mind, a frown on her face. The raven haired girl blew out a frustrated sigh as she blew out a cloud of smoke into the sky. A smirk played on her lips as she looked at her best friend. 

Veronica was one of her few friends. Although they lived in vastly different worlds, they had a relationship where none of that mattered. They had known each other their whole lives. Ronnie had always lived at the Pembrooke with her parents, the expensive building where Betty had run to many times. Ronnie’s mom, Hermione, was friends with her father and had always offered help whenever it was needed. Ronnie was rich, filthy rich but the way she had always treated Betty and her other Southside friends was so welcoming and warm, she never had a preconceived idea of them and always treated them the way she treated everyone else. Maybe not everyone. Ronnie had a spice to her. Betty called it her bitchy alter ego and that kind of Ronnie was ruthless when she was crossed. 

“That’s what you get for dating a Northsider, V.” She chuckles, throwing the cigarette on the floor before putting it out. “Poor guy has such a tough life choosing between football and music.” 

“Betty!” Veronica nudges her, a laugh erupting from her lips. “I really like him though.” 

Betty smiles at her admission, the rare soft side of her eccentric best friend showing. “I know you do. And I like him for you. He’s okay.” She tells her, a teasing look on her face. But her words revealed what more often than was hidden away, only appearing with certain, very few people, like Veronica. The immense care Betty had over the people she loved was always so fierce and primal. She was protective, firm and that was probably why many people found her intimidating. Betty Cooper didn’t let many people in her head or into her heart. She had built up defenses after years of let down from people she loved. Now she was careful with who she trusted. 

“Wanna come up for a while, B?” Veronica questions, pointing to the building behind them. “I’ll have them making that red velvet cupcakes you love.” She sing sang, a grin on her face. 

Betty laughs. “I’d love to, V, but I have to go home.” The smile drops a little from her face as she says that. 

“Okay, I’ll see you at school tomorrow.” Veronica wraps her arms around Betty, hugging her close. 

“Ah, yes! Senior year at Northside High, what a joy.” Betty’s sarcastic remark has Veronica rolling her eyes. “I can’t believe they’re shutting down Southside.” 

“Maybe it’s for the best, B. You’ll have me there.” 

“Yeah, at least there’s something positive to think about.” She sighs. “See you tomorrow, V.” 

She watches Veronica walk up the stairs and into the Pembrooke, waving at her before shutting the door. She throws one leg over her bike, putting on the helmet and turning on the bike. 

She’s always loved the feeling she got every time she was on her motorcycle. It tasted like freedom, cutting through the streets like a bullet, it let her escape, she let the wind and the speed take control over her mind. She always felt lighter. She always wished she could just keep going, drive out of the city with no destination and get the hell away from everything. But her heart stopped her. 

Her mother was still in her bedroom every night, crying herself to sleep. Betty hears her from her bedroom and pretends she never noticed in the morning. She pretends that the choked sobs don’t cut through her heart with every tear down her mother’s face ever since Hal Cooper left them. Polly’s out there somewhere ever since she ran from home and her mother just falls in deeper into the darkness the world had created for them. And Betty never lets herself fall over the edge. If there’s a need for someone to stay strong, then Betty’s the best shot you’ve got. She didn’t cry when Hal left, she didn’t cry when Polly hugged her the night before she left, she never let herself cry. Hal Cooper didn’t deserve the tears. And she understood Polly. Hell, she’d thought about running away too many times now. But she couldn’t, it would destroy her mother and if Betty could be the tiniest bit of sunshine in the cracks of Alice’s broken heart, she would be. She’d pick the tiniest bit of hope every time over running away. 

The car in front of her stops abruptly, slamming on the breaks and she’s brought to reality in a second, turning her bike so she wouldn’t hit the car. She shuts down the bike, getting off of it before walking towards the car. 

“Archie?!” The flaming red haired boy on driver’s seat grins sheepishly at her. “The fuck was that all about?” She questions. 

“I was losing control of the car. I think there’s something wrong with it.” He explains, blowing out a breath. “I need to get it fixed.” 

She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, maybe try not to kill yourself and other people until then, Andrews.” Shaking her head, she turns to go back to her bike before Archie calls out to her. 

“Hey, Betty!” He opens the door and gets out of the car, following her. 

“What?” She asks, groaning. 

“Did you talk to Ronnie?” He rubs the back of his neck, as if he’s a little nervous. 

Betty laughs. “She’s frustrated with your indecisive ass, Andrews. Now, go get your car off the road so you don’t almost kill anybody else.” 

“Oh shit, right!” His eyes widen a bit and then he smiles. “Hey, don’t you fix cars? I remember Ronnie saying something.” 

“I do. You can stop by, if you want, I’ll check it out for you.” She offers and he nods his head. 

“Yeah, that’d be awesome, Betty. Thanks.” He smiles and out of the corner of her eye, she seems someone looking at them from a window, she only has time to catch a glimpse of black hair and piercing blue-green-ish eyes. 

“Andrews?” She calls out when he’s entering the car. 

“Yeah?”

“For Ronnie’s sake, you won’t kill yourself on the way home right?” She jokes, half serious. 

“No worries, Betty. That’s my house right there!” He points to the house on his left, the yellow one with the cute porch, right next to the house where she saw the boy looking at them. “See ya tomorrow! Tell Ronnie I’m sorry!” 

“I won’t but good luck with that. See you!” 

She’s out of there in seconds, but her mind keeps going back to those eyes. 

•

Her early morning is rather uneventful. Her mother was asleep and she would be until she opened the bar. The Whyte Wyrm where Betty usually does her homework and tries to get some information about Algebra into Fangs’ head while Sweet Pea plays pool. Toni takes pictures of them, of Betty laughing at Fangs’ expense, of Pea doing those ridiculous concentrated faces at his pool game. The four of them had grown up together. No matter how many times she saw Sweet Pea’s intimidating figure, all she could think about was a little boy who she’d share her lunch with in middle school when he didn’t have any. Fangs was all aggressive gang posture until he was sitting on her couch watching musicals and singing along to the songs. And Toni was the girl who had pictures of them in her closet doors and Toni was the girl who punched a Bulldog and knocked him out cold. And Betty’s heart soared with pride. 

Fangs, Toni and Sweet Pea are waiting for her outside, all the three of them clad in leather, black attire save for Toni’s pink hair and Pea’s plaid. “Hey, guys!” She grins, greeting them. Fangs wraps his arms around her, picking her off the ground with a laugh. 

“We’re going to a decent school, Betts, with real bathrooms and lockers and music rooms and shit!” Fangs tells her, his eyes widening a bit with excitement and she laughs loudly. 

“And with Northsiders.” Sweet Pea adds grumpily. 

“I think we can handle them, Sweet Pea.” Toni rolls hers eyes. “You ready, B? Last year.” Toni says, smiling. 

“More than ready.” She smirks. “We’re going out with a bang, Serpents.” 

•

Archie Andrews looked like a lost puppy following Ronnie from where Betty was standing with the gang. She laughed to herself as she noticed Ronnie’s smug face. Her best friend was enjoying this way too much as she made her way over to her. 

“The Bulldog bothering you, V?” Sweet Pea took a step forward, an aggressive look on his face, ready beat somebody up as always. Sweet Pea had quite the temper and there were few things that didn’t set him off. Betty knew keeping him cool during the next year would be a difficult task. 

“Stand down, Sweets.” Betty rolled her eyes, pushing herself of the bike to go over to Ronnie and Archie. Sweet Pea cursed under his breath, turning to Toni. “Sorry, we’re all a bit on edge today.” 

“Yeah, we’re allergic to Northsiders.” Sweet Pea said bitterly, shooting daggers at Archie. 

“Chill out, Sweet Pea. Try to be civil, at least!” Veronica hissed and then turned her attention to Betty. “Good morning, B! So, are we ready to make jaws drop on this fine morning?” 

Betty smirked. “You sure are. Who dresses to school like this, V?” Her fingers reach out to touch the fabric of Ronnie’s dress. 

“I do, obviously. And Archiekins loves it, don’t you?” Veronica smiles back at him and he smiles with the boyish grin that Betty will always argue makes him look like a puppy or something akin to a child. He was whipped. “Let’s go!” 

The group walks towards the building together and Betty could feel the stares on them. She was expecting them, some of the terrified looks at the leather clad group with a serpent logo on their backs, the curious looks, the judgmental ones. She’d heard enough rumors about herself, they considered her to be dangerous and she’d agree, yes she could be dangerous. She wasn’t a monster though, but Northsiders sure made it sound like she was. She wondered what exactly they thought the Serpents did. There were rumors about drugs, that the Serpents were dealing drugs, receiving shipments and selling. She wasn’t allowed in on that kind of information just yet but she was beginning to be in more meetings, this was her year to really be in the Serpent throne right next to her mother. She knew that the Serpents used to deal drugs but her mother had cut ties with that world or that was what she was told, she was trying to legitimize the Serpents somehow. Betty was still unconvinced it was possible. She knew the Wyrm was legal and the bike shop but she didn’t know how her mother got some of the money she had. It was sketchy from miles away, her mother wasn’t making that much cash working nights at the Wyrm and Betty herself didn’t make that much either at the bike shop. It was enough to have a little independence like gas money for the bike or to pay her cellphone bill. 

“Look who’s here! The Serpent Princess and her goons!” A red haired girl had stepped in front of them with a few bulldogs with her. “I would say it’s nice to meet you but that would a lie. I’m Cheryl!” 

Betty was about to answer, about to cut off whatever that girl, Cheryl was doing. She could smell the privilege on her, the entitlement. Surely, the Southside trash needed to bow down before this chick. Clearly, she had no idea who she was dealing with. Toni beat her to it with her retort. 

“You’re a Blossom.” Toni’s face stretched into a smirk, stepping a bit closer to Betty. “How’s your dad doing? Jail can be a real bitch.” 

Cheryl’s face fell for a second and then she regained her composure, Betty wondered if she did that a lot. This girl was full of false intentions, hiding behind a mask she had so perfectly carved for herself. That’s what they were all doing, hiding behind their curated selves to shield themselves from pain and misery. 

The second Cheryl was about to say something, Betty intervened. “Save that shit for whoever wants to put up with you, Blossom.” She spit the words out with venom. “There’s nothing that you or your puppies can do to intimidate us and I swear on my life that if you try to fuck us over somehow, you’re gonna have to deal with me and trust me, you don’t wanna know the lengths I’ll go to protect my people. So quit with your high school bullshit drama or I’ll have to end it myself.” She got dangerously close to Cheryl, breathing right in her face, her voice dropping low as she looked at her with murder in her eyes. 

“Are you threatening her?” A dark haired bulldog muttered, pushing Cheryl so she was behind him. 

Betty laughed bitterly. “If I ever do threaten any of you, you’ll know. This is a warning.” She locked her jaw, her eyes trained on the boy’s dark eyes. “We don’t want any trouble. But you know what happens when you attack a snake. They bite.” 

And there at the top of stairs at the school entrance, were the same eyes she had seen the night before. And at that time, Betty Cooper had no idea what those blue eyes would mean to her.


	2. Allen Ginsberg and The Serpent Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jughead Jones is intriguing. Betty Cooper is bold.

II 

He intrigues her. Staying mostly in the sidelines of whatever was happening. He just watched. Observed what went down at the school. Her not so friendly encounter with Cheryl Blossom and Reggie Mantle. Veronica Lodge walking the halls with her Serpent best friend. Archie Andrews kissing Veronica Lodge against a locker during free period. Sweet Pea punching a locker after a new encounter with Reggie Mantle. It had been an eventful day. And still, in the midst of all the chaos, he kept popping up in her mind, arms crossed, a beanie on his head and a flannel shirt. He was handsome. Not the jock type of handsome, not a muscular type, but a slender, high cheekbones and smoldering look kind of handsome. 

He didn’t look away when she looked at him. He kept his chin up, eyes piercing into hers as soon as she glanced at him. It was chilling. But there wasn’t a hint of him judging her or the Serpents, he just looked at her in the simplest of its meaning. As if taking in her appearing, really looking and she just had to look away, because it all felt very intense. 

She asks Veronica about him at lunch. 

“Oh, you mean, Riverdale’s very own Holden Caulfield?” Veronica raises an eyebrow. “His name’s Jughead. He’s friends with Archie. They’ve known each other since they were kids. He’s a bit of a loner. Doesn’t have many friends. And he’s the chief editor of the Blue and Gold. I don’t really know much about him, to be honest. No one except for Archie really does and I don’t ask so...” She shrugs. 

“Him and Archie don’t really seem compatible.” Betty chuckles lightly as she glances at Jughead. What a strange name to have. 

“Yeah but they’re like brothers apparently.” Veronica tells her and then a smirk stretches across her lips. “Why the sudden interest, B? Want me to hook you up?” 

Betty rolls her eyes. “I was just curious. He’s in a few of my classes.” 

Veronica’s smirk just widens. “He’s not bad looking, maybe you could use an upgrade after that Adam guy you hooked up with.” 

Betty snorts. “Anything would be an upgrade from Adam, Ronnie.” 

“You need to get laid, babe. How long has it been? Two months? Thank god I have Archiekins.” 

Betty laughs. “I see you finally forgave him.” 

“Yeah, I can’t stay mad that long and my parents are away for the weekend which means I get the house to myself.” She wiggles her eyes brows and Betty chuckles at her friend. “I think I’m throwing back to school party.” 

“Booze and staying the night at your place? Count me in, Lodge!” Betty smirks. 

After school, after everybody had seemingly left, she went by the gym, where she used to meet up Veronica after her cheer practice. She leaned back against the wall, the smoke filling her lungs. She relished in the feeling, decompressing after what was a very exhausting day. She’d thought of quitting, all that cigarettes kill you and shit, but it was one of the few things that felt hers. Having a smoke by her bedroom window, trying to clear her head and fill it with nicotine instead. It felt nice to pull the cigarette between her lips so she gave up on trying to quit. 

She enjoyed being alone. Maybe because for most of her life she had felt so alone in the middle of so many people. Now she liked to be alone with her thoughts, with a book in her hands, a cigarette between her lips. 

Pulling out her book, a collection of Allen Ginsberg’s poems. She had almost read them all and she adored it. His anger, his passion, his sarcasm was all so in tune. 

“I didn’t peg you for a Ginsberg girl.” The voice startled her and she looked up from the book. “Shit, sorry I didn’t mean to scare you.” He stumbles on his words causing Betty to smirk. 

“What kind of girl did you peg me to be?” She questions. 

“I don’t know, that sounded like a great ice breaker. I didn’t really think any further than that.” She laughs at his honesty, shaking her head. “Is that any good?” 

“What?” 

“The poems. Are they good? I’ve read a few but I’ve never really delved into it fully.” He tells her. 

“You’re Jughead, right?” She questions and he nods. “I’m Betty.”

“I know.” He nods, offering a small smile, he walks closer, moving to sit next to her. “So? Ginsberg?” 

“Oh!” She chuckles. “I love him. He’s brilliant. The way he writes is so compelling, the sarcasm, the way he throws salt in the wound is astounding.” 

“I think one of the few poems I’ve read is America and I was pretty amazed by that.” 

“America is a fucking good one. And relevant. I feel as though you could just alter the references and read it to the country as a manifest.” She tells him. She’s passionate when she speaks, he notices, taking note of how her eyes widen slightly. 

“Yeah, felt that way too.” He nods. 

“You’ve been watching me.” She says after a few moments of silence between them, as her eyes travel back to the book. 

He looks at her, his mouth open slightly, as if he’s surprised. “Excuse me?” 

She shrugs. “It’s okay, honestly. But I’m not as unapproachable as I seem to be. Don’t let the leather intimidate you, I only bite when I feel threatened.” She’s teasing him, the smirk playing on her lips, her green eyes meeting his. “I saw you looking out your window last night, when I almost crashed my bike against Archie’s car.” 

“I was curious.” He confesses. “I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. The Serpent Princess.” 

Her eyes darken at the nickname, her face dropping slightly. “Yeah, you and everybody else.” She says bitterly. “You know, I might be a mystery to most people but I’m not all that interesting.” 

“This town seems to think otherwise.” 

“Yeah, well. Fuck them.” She chuckles, shaking her head. 

He hesitates for a second. “I know you’re friends with Veronica but I’ve never actually seen you before.” 

“I don’t cross the tracks that much. I only go to V’s house or to Pop’s.” 

“They said you were beautiful.” 

She stops for a second, his admission surprising her entirely. “Yeah?” 

“Yeah. And they were right.” He tells her and she smirks. “And they said you’re dangerous.” 

“They,” She lights up another cigarette. “sure know a lot.” 

“Are you? Dangerous, I mean.” 

Her eyes drift over to his, her gaze so intense that he feels intimidated. “I can be, Jughead. But aren’t we all?” She smirks. “You always this straightforward when you meet someone new?” 

Jughead grins. “Only the interesting ones.” 

Betty laughs softly. “You wanna get out of here?” She questions boldly. 

“To go where?” 

There’s danger in her eyes. “Trust me?” 

And he falls right into them. A bottomless pit of recklessness that was Betty Cooper. 

•

Jughead Jones had never ridden a bike until his arms were wrapped around Betty Cooper’s middle. Jughead Jones had never felt the freedom the speed of the bike was making him feel. Jughead Jones had always loved fast cars, the mustang his father bought him was a thing of beauty. And he had a feeling Betty Cooper loved the speed just as he did. 

He doesn’t know where they’re going. He hadn’t asked, he didn’t want to. He was so curious about her, he was enthralled by her smile, the danger in her beautiful green eyes, the leather jacket with the snake on its back and the way her voice sounded so close to him. 

She was right. He had been watching her, it was true. And he did feel like a bit of creep but Betty Cooper had laughed with him. Betty Cooper liked Allen Ginsberg. Betty Cooper had made Reggie Mantle piss his pants. Betty Cooper pulled up to a cliff on the Southside and smiled at him, as she removed her helmet. He wanted to know all about her. Her fears. Her dreams. Her Friday nights. Her heart. 

“Was that the first time you’ve ever been on a bike?” There’s teasing glint in her eyes. 

“Yes, it was.” He nods. 

“How did it feel?” She smirks at him, her hand reaching up to his messy hair, brushing it softly. He swears his lungs collapse, he stops breathing because she’s so close to him. 

He gulps. “I-I liked it.” 

She shakes her head, chuckling. “Yeah but how did it feel, Jughead?” 

He stops and looks her dead in the eyes. She has beautiful eyes, the kind you can’t help but fall into. This girl was like a magnet, a wonderful looking negative magnet and he was the positive that was pulled against her. “Like freedom.” He finally answers. 

She lights up at his answer. “Good.” 

Stepping away from him, she walks over to a bench, sitting as she looks out at the sun setting over Riverdale. He stays in his place for a few seconds. She was so interesting, so mysterious and so open at the same time, as if she let you in but you never really saw her. He had a feeling this was only the tip of the iceberg, he wondered what was behind the serpent on her back, what her story was. He felt as though he could write a whole book about her. It would take chapters just to write about her beauty, a whole chapter about the curve of her smile. 

“Jughead!” Betty calls out to him when he takes too long to move, laughing softly. He takes a seat next to her and she looks at him. “It’s a weird name to have. Jughead.” She muses, leaning back against the bench. 

He snorts. “Trust me, my actual name isn’t any better.” 

“How bad can it be?” She questions and he sighs, shaking his head. “That bad?” She chuckles. “Now I’m curious.” 

He raises an eyebrow, looking at her. “You really wanna know?” 

“Absolutely.” 

“Forsythe.” 

Her eyes widen for a second and she places her hand on his forearm. “Oh, you poor child.” 

“Want to know my full name?” She bites her lip, nodding her head and he grins. “Forsythe Pendleton Jones the third.” 

“Holy shit!” She laughs loudly and he feels as though he could hear that sound every day. “Jughead, where are we? Are you a fucking lord? Do you hold a title in some foreign kingdom or some shit like that? What the actual fuck?” She keeps on laughing and he joins her, their laughs combining in a melodic symphony. 

When their laughter dies down, a smile stays on his face and he glances at her. “It’s my grandpa’s name and my dad’s name. My parents wanted to keep the legacy.” 

She furrows her brows. “The legacy?” 

“Yeah, It has something to do with the family business. We kind of go way back, it doesn’t thrive as much as it used but we keep it going.” He shrugs. “We own the newspaper.” 

Betty has to bite down a snide remark. How wonderful it must be to grow up in a world where the family business wasn’t a gang. A world with family names and actual families that didn’t fall apart. A world where mothers didn’t waste themselves away in a locked room, where father didn’t leave. It seemed so easy, so uncomplicated. Betty wondered if there was anything wrong with Forsythe Pendleton Jones’ world. 

“Grandpa’s too sick to keep running it.” There’s a sad look on his face and her heart aches, she notices the way he visibly shrinks when he says it, she suddenly wants to hold him. “But yeah, that’s my name.” She doesn’t say anything for a few seconds, her hand itching to grab another cigarette but she stops herself. She was trying to cut down the amount she smoked in one day. 

“It’s a shitty name. How about I shorten it? Jug. Is that cool?” Her eyes dance over to his and he nods. 

“Archie calls me that so sure.” Jughead tells her. “Um...so...what is this place?” 

“Oh,” she shrugs. “Just the place where I take all the people I wanna kill.” He tenses up beside her and she rolls her eyes, her lips curling into her signature smirk. “That was joke. Lighten up, Jug.” She can’t help the laugh that escapes her mouth. “I haven’t killed anyone.” She says and then leans closer as she says, “yet.” She hears a sharp intake of breath and she laughs at him. “Relax, Jug. What stories have they been telling you?” She hisses, suddenly annoyed at how intimidated by her he was. 

“Betty...” he breathes out. “I didn’t mean to- I just- I don’t-“ 

The sound of motorcycles and screams interrupt whatever he’s trying to say and he sees Betty stand up abruptly, looking at the road behind him. “Shit,” he hears the mumble under her breath and then she looks at him. “Jug, whatever you do, do not attract attention to yourself and do not a say word. Do you understand?” When he doesn’t answer, she shakes him. “Do you understand, Jughead?” She walks towards the road, when the guys start to pull over and he resists the urge to watch when a guy with curly brown hair approaches her. “Malachai.” She acknowledges, nodding curtly to him. 

“Where’s your people? I thought you had that whole shit ‘in union there is strength’. You’re very much alone now, Cooper.” Malachai smiles. Jughead feels a chill go down his spine as he hears those words. 

“You’re in our turf, Malachai.” She snaps, her voice icy. “If something happens to me, you’re asking for a war.” 

Malachai takes a step even closer. “Maybe we’re looking for skulls to crush, princess.” 

“Malachai, you do remember what happened to your guy who tried the same shit you’re pulling on me right?” Jughead’s surprised at how steady and firm she appears to be, her voice stone cold holding the same danger he saw in her eyes. “How’s he recovering? I had to ice my hands for a few days after that.” She challenges and Malachai locks his jaw, coming closer to her. “Take your posse and fuck off, ghoulie.” 

“Say hello to your mom for me.” Malachai bites back, his voice filled with venom. Betty remains stoic, he would not get a reaction out of her. “Oh, princess? I hope you’re having fun at your new school.” His threatening tone made her freeze for a second. She watched them drive off, an uneasy feeling in her stomach. That feeling was never wrong. 

She walks back to Jughead. He sees that she’s distraught, she’s out of it and she’s cold and full 180° from the bright girl from before. This girl in front of him was dark and unresponsive. “Let’s go. I’m taking you home.” 

“Don’t you need-“ 

“I remember where you live.” She cuts him off, making her way to the bike. “Hurry the fuck up, Jughead.” No more Jug then. 

The drive to his house is too fast, but it’s uncomfortable now. It doesn’t feel like freedom, it feels tense and dangerous and wrong. Betty is driving faster than before, it feels too reckless and still, Jughead doesn’t want it to end because after all his arms are still around her and even though he’s overwhelmed with its dangerousness, he’s pulled into her. 

“Go.” She says when she takes off her helmet. 

“Betty-“ 

“Go, Jughead!” She spats, still not looking at him. He hops off the bike, with a sigh, handing her his own helmet. 

“I guess I’ll see you at school?” He asks, cursing himself for sounding so hopeful. She doesn’t answer him, she just puts on her helmet and drives off. 

He gets into his house and JB, his sister, jumps into his arms. “Juggie!” She squeals causing him to laugh at his favorite person in the world. “Who was that girl with the cool bike?” 

“Just a friend, JB.” He offers a small smile and JB gets that usual devilish glint in her eyes. 

“She’s pretty.” 

Jughead laughs. “Yeah, she is. She really is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter is up! Hope you enjoy this! Btw Allen Ginsberg is one of my favorite things to read, so if you don’t know about it, give it a shot. It’s obviously not for everybody but ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
> Lots of love xx


	3. She Lays Down

III

She opens the door to her mother’s bedroom abruptly when she hears the loud sobs coming from inside as soon as walks into their apartment. It had been a while since her mother cried that hard while Betty was home and awake. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting to see but her heart nearly beat out of her chest when she saw the blood on her mother’s hand and the broken bottle of whiskey on the floor.

“Mom!” She gasps, moving into action, running to her mom. “Mom, what happened?” Her mom is out of it, not really saying coherent things.

“Polly, my sweet girl, where were you?” She mumbles and Betty ignores the sting in her chest when her mother speaks Polly’s name. It hadn’t been the first time she had mistaken Betty for her sister when she was high or drunk but it tore her heart a little more every time. She ignored her feelings, pushing them to the back of her mind as she looked at her broken mom. “My sweet girl,” Alice’s bloody hand comes in contact with Betty’s face smearing it with blood. “You’re here.”

“I’m here.” Betty whispers, nodding her head even though she knew Alice thought she was Polly. “I’m gonna clean this up, okay, mom? You stay put and I’ll be right back.”

Betty runs into the bathroom, looking for the first aid kit. She looks at herself in the mirror as if willing herself to keep going, takes the first aid kit and goes back to the bedroom. She kneels down beside the bed, taking her mother’s hand gently and begins to take the pieces of glasses off of her hand like she had seen a nurse do the first time her mother had broken a bottle. She takes her time, this being the longest time she’s been in the same room as her mother in weeks. “This is gonna hurt a little, mom.” She mumbles, but she doubts Alice feels anything as she starts cleaning and disinfecting the cuts.

“Daddy will be home soon, we have to make dinner, Polly.” No, he won’t, mom. Polly’s gone, mom. They’re not coming back. It’s me. It’s Elizabeth. Betty. I’m the one who feels too guilty to leave you too. I know you’d be dead if it weren’t for me, mom. I’m the one who stayed. I’m the ones who has to fucking watch you and hear you lose yourself. I’m tired, mom. I’m so tired.

“We have to give you a bath, mom, okay? Let’s go.” She holds her mother up when she’s done bandaging her hand, carrying her to the bathroom. She’s scared of how easy it is to do this, how she’s done this far too many times, how her mother’s body is limp in her hands as she washes her, in an attempt to sober up. She doubts her mother will remember any of this tomorrow. In the end, she will always choose the bottle. She just wants to feel something. Or she wants to stop feeling at all. Betty thinks the alcohol is the only thing that makes it stop for her.

When she finally guides her back to the bed, it seems as though Alice’s eyes spark with faintest recognition. “Elizabeth?”

Betty leans down to kiss her mother’s forehead. “Yeah, mom, it’s me.” She leaves her and heads to the kitchen.

She gives up on the frozen meal the second she takes a look at it. Anger taking over her, she throws it into the garbage as if it were her worse enemy. She needs an out. She needs to get out of this house and that’s what she does. Taking her jacket and her keys, she leaves the apartment and hops on her bike.

Arriving at the destination she set in her mind, she doesn’t hesitate to walk through the door. She feels the adrenaline pumping through her veins when she looks at the name on the wall. ‘Penny’s Snake Pit’. An establishment built on fighting and betting. Betty had started there when she was about sixteen. She found a way to get a release and that was punching things, people and whatever stood in her way. She promised Veronica she would never go again after the last time she did. She ended pretty roughed up and Ronnie had made her promise never to do it again. But Betty needed this.

•

She’s sitting down with a bottle of water in her hand. Her stomach hurts pretty bad and she’s certain there’s bruising on her back from where she was hit. But it felt good. Her release. Her escape.

“You haven’t been here in a while, Cooper.” Penny calls over from the bar. The Pit is empty by now, only a few people hanging around.

“I needed a break.” She responds, her eyes fixated on her bruised fingers.

“You never need a break from good money, Betty.” Penny retorts. “And you did good tonight. Won every fight, kid.” She nods towards the scoreboard, Betty’s name on top with the amount of money people bet on her. Betty stands up, with a bit of difficulty and Penny eyes her. “Was it JT? She hit you pretty bad back there, but you came out on top.”

Betty laughs. “Tell that to the bruises. I was sloppy today, too much on my mind.” She mutters and Penny nods, shaking her head with small laugh.

“I have to close up. You get home, okay? Here’s your money.” She hands Betty the envelope with the money.

“I’ll see you sometime, Penny.” She walks away and out of the door. When she sees her bike, she starts to fume. Someone had slashed her tire and she was pretty sure she knew who it was. JT Sanchez, the girl she had fought with. Betty had won so JT had decided to be a spiteful little bitch who didn’t understand Penny’s rule. Whatever happened in the Pit wasn’t brought to the outside of the Pit. She didn’t need the cops pulling up on her. “Fucking bitch.” Betty muttered. She didn’t know how the fuck to get home now. So she didn’t. The Pit was actually closer to the Northside than it was to her house.

“Ronnie?” She mumbled into the phone. “I need your help.”

•

Betty knows she fucked up. Ronnie hasn’t said a word since she had gotten into the car. She feels herself sinking deeper into the car seat, unable to look at her best friend. She can feel Ronnie’s anger radiating from her. The promise she’d made, her words echoed in her mind. I’ll never fight again. I promise. She hadn’t meant to break that promise. She just needed it, needed to release all the pent up tension.

The elevator ride is filled with deafening silence as the moment Ronnie had picked her up with Andre, the family’s driver. They walk to Ronnie’s room and Betty sits down on the bed with difficulty because of her back, she reckoned there’d be some ugly bruises besides the small cut on her cheek. Ronnie watches her, noticing the way she moves.

“You went to ‘The Pit’ again.” She murmurs, disappointment heavy in her tone. “You promised you wouldn’t. Not after what happened last time, Betty. You were in the fucking hospital. Do I have to remind you of that?” She hisses.

Betty scoffs. “No, you don’t. I’m sorry I’m fucking up your princess world. I’m sorry I called you. I should just go.” She stands up.

“Stop!” Ronnie snaps. “Don’t come at me with that bullshit. I know you. You’re saying shit because you’re trying to get out of talking about this. It doesn’t work with me, remember? I know you. You don’t get to push me away.” She sighs, stepping closer to sit beside her on the bed. “What happened, B?” Her voice softens.

Betty looks down at her hands. Of course, Ronnie would never let her out of this. “My mom.” She mutters. “She called me ‘Polly’. There was a broken bottle when I got home and she was sobbing. She hurt her hand on the broken glass.” Betty shakes her head. “It’s getting worse, Ronnie. It’s spiraling out of control and nothing I do is good enough to make her stop.”

Ronnie looks at her, inching a bit closer. “I’m sorry, B. I’m sorry you have to deal with this. It’s not your job, you should be focusing on other things right now. Your mom needs help.”

“Yeah, I know, Ronnie.”

“Professional help. She needs rehab, it’s gone too far.”

Betty shakes her head. “We don’t have money for that, Ronnie.”

“I do.” She tells her. “I don’t care, Betty. You know my mom will help. I can’t keep watching her destroy you. You’re like my sister, B. And I’ve been doing what you told me to do, to let you handle this. But you ended up in a hospital last time I did and you ended up with a slashed tire at three in the morning on a school night because of your mom. You’re angry and you’re hurt and you won’t let anyone help you but I just want you to let me do this for you, Betty. Just let me help.”

“What if they take me away? You know what will happen, V.” Betty runs a hand through her hair, standing up to pace around the room. “I have an alcoholic mother, a father who is god knows where, a sister who’s halfway across the country and no extended family. I have no legal guardian other my mom, V.”

Veronica stills for a second, Betty can see the gears shifting in her head. “You’ll be eighteen in a few months. Until then, I think my mom could take you in.”

“I couldn’t ask that of you, Ronnie. You guys do so much for us already.”

“Because we want to! You’re family wether you want to or not.”

A knock on the door interrupts their conversation and Hermione, Ronnie’s mom, popped her head in. “Hey, girls.”

Ronnie smiles softly. “Hey, mom.”

Hermione’s eyes widen when she sees Betty’s face. The cut on her face was visible from where JT had hit her, dry blood on her cheek. There had been too much blood shed. Her mother’s. JT’s. Her own.

“What happened to you, sweetie?” Hermione crosses the room to cup Betty’s face, realization dawns on her face when she takes in Betty’s ashamed look. Hermione had been the one who brought Betty into the hospital with Veronica. “You can stay here, but we have to take care of that cut first, okay? We’ll talk in the morning. Should I call your mom, let her know you’re here?” Betty looks away at the question, taking a deep breath. “It’s okay, honey. You’ll be alright.”

Betty looks at Hermione again. “I’m sorry. I know I promised I wouldn’t.”

Hermione sighs, pressing a kiss to Betty’s forehead. “You can’t keep doing this, Betty.”

“I know.” She nods. She wishes for everything to stop.

•

She feels sore when she wakes up to Ronnie’s alarm clock. She feels as though she’s been hit by a truck when really she’d been beat up by JT fucking Sanchez, she still felt pissed but was glad that JT ended up in a much worse condition than she did. Which made her feel worse about everything. The shame she felt with Ronnie for breaking her promise was bubbling with fervor but throwing punches and kicks had felt too nice because it had been so long. Ever since the incident, the one that ended with her in a hospital with a few broken ribs, bruises and a concussion, she hadn’t been in a fight. She intended on keeping her promise. She wouldn’t set foot in the ‘Pit’.

“B?”

“Mmmmh?” She mumbles, still buried under the covers.

“We have to get up.” Veronica says but doesn’t make a move to leave the bed. Betty chuckles slightly, turning to face her best friend. “Can’t they just schedule school at a more reasonable hour?”

“I feel like shit.” Betty groans. “Shit, I have to get my bike.”

Veronica waves her off. “I’ll have Andre go pick it up. Don’t worry about it.”

With a small grateful smile, she pushes the the covers off her body, reaches for her phone to check for messages and there’s only a few from Toni, asking if she’s coming with them to school. She answers it quickly and then stands up, ready to start to the day.

“You know, you didn’t tell me you were with Jughead yesterday.” Veronica drops it in a such an easy manner, it makes Betty’s head snap up to look at her.

“How do you know that?” She questions.

“Archie.” Veronica shrugs, waving the phone in her hand. “Jughead told him. He told me. It seems that he’s quite crushed at the way you left him last night.”

“It was a mistake.” Betty sighs.

“What happened exactly?” Veronica narrows her eyes at her. She’d been doing a great job at not thinking about what happened with Jughead, she might not have handled things the best way. But Jughead shouldn’t want anything to do with her.

“We hung out, there were some intense gazes and we might have flirted around and he was painfully adorable. Then Malachai showed up.”

Veronica sucks in a breath. “You mean the guy whose friend you beat up? The guy who carries a fucking gun?”

Betty locks her jaw. “That’s the bitch.” She nods. “I’m pretty sure he threatened me.” Veronica’s eyes widen slightly. “I can handle it though, V. I wasn’t going to tell you but Jughead was there. The last thing we all need is to be worried about someone like him. The Serpents can deal with him.”

“And Jughead was there?” She wonders, feeling uneasy with the thought of someone like Malachai lurking around.

“We were at the cliff. I took him there.”

Veronica cocks hers head to the side, a smirk stretching across her lips. “You took him to the cliff? Your cliff? Look at you go, baby. You go get him!” She laughs, clapping her hands making Betty throw a pillow at her face. “Hey!”

Betty rolls her eyes. “He was nice, like too nice. And I realized I couldn’t get him involved with me. Not with all the shit that’s been happening.”

“You are you smart yet so fucking stupid, it astounds me, Elizabeth Cooper.” She shakes her head. “So, this guy, who’s actually cute and nice seems to be falling at your feet and you decide to push him away because it might actually make you happy?”

“No!” Betty answers. “Because he shouldn’t be with someone like me.”

“What are you exactly, Betty?” Veronica challenges.

“He’s sweet, you know? And we had a nice time but he shouldn’t be with a girl like me.” The look on Betty’s face breaks Veronica’s heart. She still failed to see what made Betty think she was unworthy of people’s love. How could this smart, beautiful, kind woman think that she didn’t deserve to be loved? “I’m broken, Ron.”

“Oh, B...” Veronica shakes her head. “You deserve to be happy, you should be able to date and be with people and let them love you. You deserve to be loved, Betty Cooper.”

Betty bites her lip, not at all convinced of what Ronnie was telling her. No one should have to deal with her baggage, no one should have to deal with her shit. She didn’t need to ruin anyone else’s life. “I barely even know the guy.”

“But you like him. And he likes you. So why not give it a shot?”

“No.” She tells her firmly. “Let him have his uncomplicated life without me.”

•

He sees her first, stepping out of the car with Veronica, as he’s leaning against the wall, headphones plugged in, The Smiths playing. He’s surprised to see her without the bike, the bike where he sat on, the bike in which he had wrapped his arms around her body. Jughead thinks it’s ridiculous how caught up he is with this girl. He spent the whole night wide awake, plagued with thoughts of her. She was intoxicating, made his head spin.

“Betty!” He calls out and feels the looks from her fellow Serpents when they hear her name coming from his mouth. Her eyes dart over to where he’s standing and he walks to her. She ignores him, continuing to make her to the building with Veronica by her side. “Betty?”

She halts her step and turns to him. “What?” She groans.

“Can we talk?” He questions and he sees Veronica eye at him, an amused look on her face. She tells Betty she’ll see her in class and Betty rolls her eyes with a sigh, her eyes following Veronica.

“What is it?” She asks him.

He scoffs. “Seriously? You think there’s nothing to talk about?”

“Yesterday was a mistake, Jughead.”

It stings but he ignores the coldness in her voice. “We had a good time, Betty.”

“Sure, yeah! Until Malachai showed up!”

“And what? Because of some crazy asshole you don’t want to talk to me anymore?” Jughead forces, she looks away from him and he sees the cut on her face. His eyes soften and he has to stop himself from reaching out to touch her face. “What happened to you?”

“It doesn’t matter. Just leave the fuck alone, Jughead.” She snaps. “We had good time. It can’t go any further than that.”

“Why not?” He presses.

“Because it’s wrong, Jughead. You don’t want me. Trust me.” There’s such a clear determination in her eyes, she’s so sure. “This is kind of shit doesn’t happen in my world. It may happen in yours. But nothing is ever as simple. You don’t need someone like me in your life.”

“But I want to.” He tells her, with no hesitation. “I liked spending time with you. And I wanna do that some more. I don’t give two shits about our worlds. Fuck that. I want to spend time with you, Betts. Your mind seems like the kind I wanna get to know. Just let me!” Jesus, this kid is straight out of a romantic comedy.. And unbearably stubborn. And his eyes are fucking beautiful. And you need to get a grip, Elizabeth. Who are you right now?

She shakes her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “I’m dangerous. Isn’t that what they say? Do yourself a favor and run when you still have the chance. You don’t want me, Jug.”

Jug.

I want you.

I want you, Betty Cooper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have any thoughts or suggestions, don’t hesitate to tell me! I wanna know what you think!
> 
> Lots of love xx


	4. The Great Unknown

IV 

Fangs is able to make her laugh as they sit in a booth at the Whyte Wyrm. He’s going on and on about the Northside and how they have an actual computer room and it makes her smile at how excited he is. Toni’s working and Pea is out somewhere on Serpent business. 

Her mother hadn’t called and she was trying not to let that affect her. She’s used to it, but then when Sweet Pea told her it was Alice who had sent him out, she felt pissed again. After being black out drunk, she hadn’t even had the decency to question where her daughter was. Betty felt exhausted. Mentally and physically. Jughead was affecting her way more than it should. Everything with her mom was going downhill with each day and she felt suffocated. Everything around her was slowly starting to implode and she was desperately trying to keep it together. 

“You okay?” She hears Fangs question softly beside. “You seem off.” 

She sighs. “My mom.” Her mumble earns a look of understanding. “The usual but a little worse.” 

“I’m sorry. I know alcohol kills everyone around it even if you don’t drink, maybe especially then.” Fangs says softly and Betty nods her head, reaching to squeeze his hand. “But that’s not all, is it?” His face offers her a gentle smile. “That kid, northsider? This shit with your mom has been happening for some time but you’re usually just pissed when it happens not acting like you are.”

Betty breathes out, leaning down to press her forehead against her hands, facing the table. “We hung out, Fangs. And it was really nice and I forgot how fucked up my world was and how his was full of homemade meals and family legacies and all that. And he was so nice, like the serpent on my back meant nothing and he just wanted to know me.” 

“So why are you like this?” Fangs, rubs her back and she lifts her head up. 

“If this was Pea, he’d be telling me how stupid I was for even being with a northsider.” She smiles and he rolls his eyes, chuckling. 

“I think that’s just dumb. Like Sweet Pea hot head dumb. They’re privileged little shits but not all of them are bad.” 

Betty smirks, nudging. “Kevin’s nice, huh?” 

“We are talking about you here, Elizabeth!” Fangs says in a fake stern manner and she laughs. “So, this kid...” 

“Jughead.” 

Fangs stills for a second and then continues. “Jughead. What happened? What’s got you feeling like this?” 

“I took him to the cliff. And Malachai showed up.” 

Fangs’ eyes darken. “What did he do to you?” 

“He was just his usual asshole self. Showed up with his posse. But it sounded like he was threatening me, in particular.” She explains and she watches Fangs tense up. “I called Tall Boy about it, told him to keep an eye out for any Ghoulies, told him about him.” 

“Good.” Fangs nods. “We got your back, Betty. You know that.” 

“No Serpent stands alone.” She smiles. “But Jughead...” 

“Right. What happened there?” 

“It’s not right, Fangs. He doesn’t belong in my world. He doesn’t deserve to be with someone like me.” She tells him. 

Fangs narrows his eyes. “You are not doing this. He’s damn lucky if he gets to be with someone like you. I hate that you can’t see what you’re worth. Jeez, Betts, fuck that! If you like this guy, if he made you happy for even a few hours, go for it! You can’t do that shit to yourself!” He tells her. Every time she hears something like that, all she can think about is how unlovable she is. She sees her father leaving, a last look on his face before he shut the door, she sees her mother wasting herself away, the bottle in her hand a heavy weigh in Betty’s heart. 

“Fangs, I...” She sighs, running a hand through her hair. “I felt good with him and I’ve known him for like two days. I don’t do this kind of thing.” 

He scoffs. “What? Date guys who aren’t complete assholes?” 

She glares at him. “Don’t. I don’t even know him well enough.” 

“But you could. Just take a leap of faith, Betty. It’s not that hard.” 

“Just blindly falling into the abyss of love?” A smile stretches across her lips. “We’ll see.” 

•

The bike shop had become her safe haven despite its memories. Her love of bikes and cars had come from her father. She remembered the afternoons they spent around cars, their hands dirty with oil, focused on the engine in front them. She always helped out at the shop, when her father was still home. When he left them, Betty had kept going. The intricate puzzles that we re engines brought her peace, she was focused, her mind didn’t usually drift off when she was fixing up cars but today was different. Jughead’s voice was echoing in her head. He wanted to know her mind. Her mind, filled with its dark and rugged edges, her mind filled with painful feeling and once beautiful memories, her mind filled with books she had read and movies she’d seen, her fears and dreams. He wanted her and for every thought she had of letting whatever they both felt happen, there were barriers. Reasons why they shouldn’t. She was dangerous. She was broken. He didn’t need all that baggage. But then she’d remember his eyes, his soft smile and his lips and all she could think about was how his body would feel pressed against hers, his lips kissing hers. She wanted him too. But nothing is ever as simple. That’s what the nagging voice in her mind kept telling her. 

She hears a car pull up outside and she lifts her head from the engine and spots someone walking inside. Her heart stops for a moment. It’s Jughead. The boy from the Northside who had her thinking about him non stop. 

“Betty?” His voice booms through the shop and she steps away from where the hood of the car covered her. 

“What are you doing here?” She questions, her brows furrowed. 

He raises his hands in defense. “I’m here to drop Archie’s car. He did tell you?” 

“He said someone was dropping it off but didn’t say anything about who.” Betty tells him and he nods. “Didn’t kill yourself on the way over? That car is murderous.” 

Jughead chuckles. “I think it only acts that way around Arch. He’s the worst driver I know.” 

Betty smiles at him, then clears her throat. “You can leave it outside, just give me the keys and I’ll see what’s wrong with it.” 

Jughead eyes widen. “Oh shit, I have no idea how to get home.” And she raised her brows at him. “I totally spaced out on the fact that if I drove here in Archie’s car, I wouldn’t have a car to get home.”

Betty laughs, shaking her head. “You’re an idiot, Jug.” She says. “I’ll take a break and drive you home. Just give me a second.” 

“You don’t have to. I can wait, I have nothing exciting going on.” He protests, shrugging and Betty eyes him. 

“Don’t trick me into spending time with you, Jones.” She smirks and he takes a step closer. It’s sinful how good he looks, his eyes focused on her lips. “We can’t happen.” She tells him and he’s so close she can feel his breath on her. 

“I don’t care.” He says, inching even closer to her. 

“Jug.” She sighs, her hand pushing him away unsuccessfully, her push comes off gentle, only making the pull between them stronger. “You don’t want this. It’s easier if we stay away from each other.” 

“Easy is boring, Betts.” He smirks down at her, his hands reaching for her waist. She doesn’t pull away, can’t make herself do it when this was all she wanted. “That’s what I like about you. I haven’t stopped thinking about you.” He backs her up against the wall and his lips crush into hers, her arms wrap around his neck and she tugs at his hair, her lips responding to his feverishly. “Tell me you don’t want me and I’ll walk away.” He whispers against her lips when he pulls away. She opens her green eyes too look at him. 

“Fuck you!” She says before rejoining their lips together, he laughs into the kiss. “This is so unfair.” She mumbles. “It was so much easier when I didn’t know what kissing you felt like.” His lips make their way from her cheek to her neck and she sighs. “I hate you for this.” 

“Kiss me like you mean that then, Cooper.” 

•

They’re laying down on the back of Archie’s truck outside. It’s getting late. You can hear crickets somewhere and the stars look very beautiful in the night sky and Betty’s sure the last time she’s ever felt this content was when she was eight when her mother still baked cookies and Christmas wasn’t a sad lonely time. Polly was playing with her in the snow and her father was helping them build a snowman and things weren’t bad, they didn’t have money for presents but they were happy, in the simplest way they ever could. 

Jughead’s arms are around her, her head is on his chest and his heartbeat is slow, calm in a way that calms her. He’d made her forget as he talked about stars and stories his father told him. He spoke of his childhood. Of fishing trips with his grandfather and how they always threw the fish back into the river and bought one on the way home for dinner. He told her how his little sister was his favorite thing, he described her as a fierce little human who was witty and funny. He told her about the novel he was attempting to write, a crime story of some kind that involved gruesome murders and mysteries to solve. 

She’s tracing patterns on his stomach through his shirt and he’s running a hand through her hair as he talks. “And I haven’t really figured out how I want it to end, you know? Every possible scenario feels so sudden. Endings are the worst.” 

“Maybe you don’t have to give closure to people. Maybe it’s out in the open what happens to the characters. You make it an ending but it doesn’t really conclude their story. You let the reader figure that out by themselves.” She mumbles, lifting her head up to look at him with a smile. “When you finish it though, send me a copy, will you?” 

“You’ll be the first to. I think you’re the only person I’ve told the whole plot to. I’ll have to kill you if you divulge any information.” He smirks and leans down to peck her lips. “I want to know more about you, Betts.” 

“What do you want to know?” She asks. 

“Everything.” She rolls her eyes at his answer. “Even the dumb things people ask on a first date.” 

“Is this a date?” 

He shakes his head. “Nah, Betty Cooper. I’m gonna take you on proper one.” He grins. Betty takes him in. He’s so handsome, quite different than any other guy she’d been with. He’s smart too, had opinions, they didn’t seem to run out of things to talk about. That never happened before. Her exes were not all that bright but she didn’t usually bother to care. But she’d grown tired of the same old thing with every guy. Jughead’s handsome and smart and painfully nice, maybe that’s why it makes her so scared. She had reasons to push every other guy in her life away, usually they ended up fucking it up or she fucked up, but she didn’t want that with him. And she didn’t want to end up hurt, she never let herself get in too deep, she was always knee deep, safe in the knowledge that if she didn’t catch feelings, she could leave any time and it wouldn’t hurt. Or if they left, she’d be okay. 

It scares that he’s so good to her, how gentle and warm he is, how he smiles at her, it strikes her to her core. Betty knows one thing for sure. She could fall for him. And we know she will. And yes, she thinks, blindly into the abyss of love. Right into the great unknown. She doesn’t know how long it’ll take for him to take over her heart. 

But we know that once he does, what’s more likely is that the dark haired boy whose heart is open for her, whose eyes dance with endless wonder over her smile, will stay forever. Even if Betty Cooper doesn’t believe in forever loves and I love you forever, she won’t need to believe it. She’ll feel it and it will turn their world upside down, shake the very foundations that built her anguish. Because, he will stay. And no one else had before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like this!!! Tell me what you think!!


	5. The Number 5

V 

The number five is filled with symbology. It is the number of humanity. We have five fingers on each hand and foot. We have five senses. It’s the number of balance and peace. When David killed Goliath, he had five smooth stones in his shepherd’s bag, according to the Bible. Jack the Ripper killed five people. In the Luther Rose, the symbol of Lutheranism, there are five symbols, that each represent something. The cross represents faith, the white rose represents peace, the blue sky heavenly joy, the heart represents love and the yellow circle represents eternity. The Hamsa Hand is used for protection from the evil eye in the Middle East. Hamsa means five. It may represent the five pillars of Islam or the five books of the Torah. 

In Betty’s life there has been many fives. Polly’s birthday is on the fifth. When she was in fifth grade, she met Fangs. The happiest picture she knows of her family is of them on her fifth birthday plus her cat at the time (four people and a cat makes five). She classifies her favorite movies on a top five chart. The news that Southside High was closing had been received of July 5th. School had started exactly two months later on September 5th. On fifth period, Jughead Jones had pulled her into a room, laughing as he kissed her lips. The Blue and Gold was suddenly where she wanted to spend her life at. 

“What was that?” She asks, laughing. 

“I missed you and I wasn’t sure if I could do that in public and you look too gorgeous, it’s a goddamn crime, Betts.” Her hands are still holding his face, a smile playing on her lips. 

“I’m starting to think you only want me for my looks, Jones.” She teases and He presses a kiss to her nose. 

He smiles at her. “I’ve told you. Your mind is starting to feel like my favorite place.” 

“Sure seems like it, you’re always there.” She smirks, she didn’t know when she started being so candid with him, her honesty seeping out easily, no need to act like something else around him. They had been together for five days and no one knew. Every single one of her friends suspected, especially Ronnie, but she hadn’t talked about it and she liked it that way. Five days and she felt, taking the risk of sounding absolutely lame, like she knew him her whole life. 

“Hey?” He pecks her lips. 

“What?” 

“Want to go on that date I promised you?” He asks with a grin on his face. 

She raises her brows. “For real?” 

“Yeah, Betts. I’ve got a plan.” 

She rolls her eyes. “Of course you do and let me guess, you’re not telling me about it?” 

“It’s scary how easily you’re figuring me out.” He jokes. 

The door swings open and in comes an overtly excited Veronica, Archie trailing behind with what sounded like he was trying to stop her. 

“I knew it!” She squeals and then she narrows her eyes at Betty, the murmurous look she had perfected with time burning into her. “How dare you not tell me, Elizabeth?” 

“I’m sorry?” Betty winces as Jughead pulls away slightly to let her climb off the desk. She doesn’t have to beg for forgiveness because in a second Veronica is wrapping her up in a hug. 

Archie is standing there with an apologetic look towards Jughead. His best friend only laughs, shaking his head at the raven haired girl and her manner. 

“We can do double dates now!” Veronica and Betty glances at Jughead, a desperate look on her. 

“Only if you kill me first, Ronnie.” She glares and Jughead laughs. 

“Oh I don’t care, we’ll bring your dead body to the table with us, B.” 

“I’d prefer her very much alive, please. Kissing a dead body isn’t my ideal date night. I’m not willing to sacrifice my girlfriend just so you can have your way, Veronica.” Jughead says, wrapping an arm around Betty’s shoulder. 

Betty eyes snap up at him at his label. They hadn’t discussed that. They hadn’t had the whole conversation of what they were to each other but it seemed that Jughead had just cleared that up for her. Maybe this was how it was supposed to be, easy and uncomplicated, no games, no dancing around subjects. Just treat things as they were. 

“Oh you guys are adorable!” Veronica grins at them, her arm sneaking around Archie’s waist. “Aren’t they, Archiekins?” Archie laughs lightly, smirking at Jughead. 

“Well shit, we were going for the badass romantic duo look. All leather jackets and guns and fire.” Betty says dryly. 

“A true shame you can’t see past Nicholas Sparks’ movies, Veronica.” Jughead ads. Betty grins at him. 

Veronica rolls her eyes. “God...you two might actually be made for each other.” 

•

“How exactly did you meet Archie?” She asks, as they walk along the river. The sun is setting over the water and Betty loves the way it feels. She loves the way his fingers are intertwined with hers, hands joined as they walk. 

“I’ve known him for literally all my life.” He chuckles. “Archie lives next door. I can see his bedroom from my window. We sneaked out all the time when we were kids to go play at each other’s houses. We’ve always just known each other. We’ve been together through everything. Kindergarten, middle school...” He trails off. 

“You guys seem like polar opposites.” She comments and Jughead nods his head. 

“Yeah, he’s athletic and I prefer a good book. He’s the popular jock and I’m the kid who watches on the sidelines. But we understand each other. His mom’s not around and my mom-“ Jughead stops abruptly, halting his steps. She turns to face him. “Sorry, I don’t usually talk about her.” 

Betty grabs his face in her hands. “You don’t have to, Jug. I don’t like talking about mine either.” 

“I want to.” He tells her. “I want you to know.” He nods firmly. “She...took off after she had my sister. Found some guy and just left. We know where she is cause she sends me postcards and shit.” He scoffs, shaking his head. “I just...I feel like she never loved me, you know? Cause she just left, without a fucking warning. Just left a note on the kitchen table and just vanished.” She’s watching him, silently cursing herself for having judged him the first day they spent together. She thought his life was perfect and now she was finding out about the demons he held inside. 

“I watched my dad leave.” She says simply when he finishes. “I know what it’s like. It’s like you’re not good enough for them to stay.” 

Jughead looks a bit a surprised at her admission, frowning because she knew his pain and he knew that pain was soul crushing. The feeling of not being good enough to be loved. 

“Yeah.” He breathes out. “But I think we are good enough. I realize that now. I was in, um...therapy for a while and it helped me.” He confesses, smiling gently at her. “It’s not our fault that they leave. They just did, you know? I’ve learned to not blame myself for that. Sometimes it’s hard but I’ve managed to get through it.” 

Betty sighs, facing away from him to look at the river. “I know my dad’s an asshole for leaving, you know? He put us through hell.” She nods. “He destroyed my mom, Jug. Then my sister left because she couldn’t handle what my mom was doing to herself. And now it’s just me and her. But I barely see her.” She pauses and Jughead, wraps his arms around her from behind, kisses her shoulder. 

“You don’t have to tell me, Betts.” 

“I think you should know why I was so hesitant to be with you, Jug.” She murmurs. “Before you get any deeper with us and to be honest, it feels crazy how we feel about each other.” She smiles softly and then it disappears as suddenly as it came. “I’m damaged goods, Jug.”

“Betts-“

“No, let me finish.” She says sternly and takes a deep breath. “You’re good, Jug. Amazing really. I’m not used to that. I’ve been trying not to think the way I used to about this, about us. I usually always prepare for the worst. People always leave in the end. Even my mom, even her. My dad left. My sister left. Now she spends her days with a bottle of whiskey. She’s here but she’s gone. And I’m used to doing things by myself. Sure, I have the Serpents and Veronica but I’m used to being alone. Taking care of myself because no one else will. I’m fucked up. In like a million ways that will take a long time to sort out. And I pushed you away initially because I genuinely believe that you don’t need my baggage.” She finishes and leans back against him. Jughead presses them even closer together, his face burying in her shoulder. 

“I want you.” He whispers, he tugs her so she turns to look at him. “And all of that. What life put you through, that’s part of who you are. You are a strong woman, Betty. And your baggage, let me carry it. I can take it. It’s about time you let someone take care of you. And that won’t make you any less than what you are today. Just let me take the load off. We’ll share the baggage so it becomes easier to carry. You just gotta let me take it.” 

“Five days.” 

“Mmmmh?” 

“Five days since you kissed me and I can’t imagine losing you. And it feels too much too fast. And I hate that I’m not in control.” She sighs and Jughead smiles at her. 

“For such a reckless girl, you sure have a lot to learn about letting go, Betts.” 

“That’s not what I’m worried about.” She gulps. “I hate that I’m getting attached.”

“I’m not leaving.” He kisses her lips. “I’m not leaving.” 

•

“Elizabeth? Is that you?” 

Her breath is caught in her throat and she stops. Her mother is sitting at the kitchen table, her blonde hair not in a messy ponytail, but instead cascading down her back in all it’s glory. There were no sweatpants and old t shirts, no, her mother was wearing her Serpent jacket, a tight skirt and a see through blouse. 

The last time she saw this woman was ages ago. Her mother was a powerful, confident woman. She used to be sassy and witty and nosy when it came to her daughters, she had scared away a boy who asked Betty out on a date with too many questions. She was a woman who had gave up on her dreams of becoming a journalist when she realized she had no way to go school for it. She was the woman who brought the serpents together, the family Betty knew all her life. She was loving and caring and sometimes harsh and too controlling. That woman had disappeared when her dad and Polly left. Just gone. The Serpents were being led by her mother’s right hand. Betty did whatever she wanted back then. She’d learned a bit. Learned to control the pain and abandonment she felt. Became a little more closed off than she used to be. 

“Mom?” She chokes out surprised. “What-“ 

“What’s wrong?” Alice questions. 

“You’re-“ Betty begins, in disbelief. “Mom, what happened?” 

“What happened to what, Elizabeth? Are you feeling okay?” She smiles and Betty locks her jaw, telling herself to breathe. “Hun, do you want to talk about it?” She steps closer, placing a hand on her daughter’s arm. 

“Yeah, sure!” She spats. “Do you want to talk about how you’re acting like nothing happened? How a week ago, I was giving you a fucking bath because you were so out of it?! That I haven’t seen you in four days and when I do, you’re like this?” 

Alice sighs, taking a step back, sitting down again as Betty looks at her. “I’m sorry.” 

“You’re sorry?” She scoffs. “It’s been a year, mom! A year and I’ve been basically by myself, while you’re at the bar and you get home wasted only to drink more!” Her voice raises, she can feel the familiar anger seeping out of her, running through her veins, burning her insides.

“Elizabeth, I’m sorry. But with your dad-“ 

“Yeah, I know! Dad, Polly! It’s been awful. I’ve been living through it too.” She spats and Alice looks ashamed, rubbing her face. There’s a pause and Betty looks at her mother, taking a deep breath. “Are you sober?” Alice bites her lip and doesn’t dare to meet Betty’s eyes. “At least you’re closer to sober than you’ve been a year.” She says bitterly. 

“I’m gonna get better. I’ll stop drinking and we’re gonna be happy, Elizabeth. We will.” She nods her head, looking up at her. And Betty breathes out, moving to sit in front of her. “I promise.” 

Betty looks down at her hands, still bruised from the fight and then back up at Alice. “You need help.” She tells her calmly. 

“Help?” 

“Yes, mom. Professional help.” Betty sighs. 

“What are you trying to say here, huh? That I’m fucking addict who can’t stop drinking?!” Alice yells and Betty’s eyes widen at her reaction. 

“That’s exactly what I’m saying! Yes, you’re a fucking addict! You have been for over a year!” She matches her mother’s tone. 

She can see the tears in her mother’s eyes and she thinks that maybe having her awake is worse than having to confront this. It hurts so bad to see her like this, in denial. 

Alice recoils in her chair, arms wrapping around herself as she sniffles. “It stops the pain.” Betty’s face softens at her mother’s broken voice. “I don’t want to feel it anymore. It’s tearing me apart.” She shakes her head and Betty’s heart breaks a little more with each word that comes out of her mouth. “They all left me. I’m alone and I don’t know what to do, Betty. I don’t-“ 

Betty crosses the distance to wrap her arms around her mother, letting her sob into her shoulder. “It’s okay.” She whispers. “It’s okay. I’m still here. I’m here, mom.” 

“I messed up, baby. I messed up.” She mumbles and Betty rubs her back. “My baby.” She pulls away to look at her, placing her hand on Betty’s face. “I hurt you. I’m sorry. I’m sorry, baby.” She cries. 

“It’s okay, mom. It’s okay.” Betty tells her. “But you have to get help. I looked up some places and I think we should get you there.” 

“That costs money.” Alice protests. “We don’t have that kind of money.” 

“Don’t worry about money, mom. I’ll take care of that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, hope you like this! Btw, I might start a one shot thingy so if you’d like me to do that, I will! I’d love it if you told me what you think about the story, it truly means a lot! 
> 
> Lots of love xx


	6. Parting is Such a Sweet Sorrow

VI 

She doesn’t believe in god. Never has. She’s not sure her mother does either. She’s not dogmatic about it, but she doesn’t really trust it. She knows her father did, he went to church every Sunday morning and tried to drag her along, Polly went a few times but she’d never really been a believer either. God had failed them too many times. Where was he when there wasn’t enough money for a decent meal? She remembered the long winters when the heater wasn’t working. They didn’t have enough money to fix it. She remembered watching a few kids talking about their Christmas presents and all she could think about was how she’d spent it cold and listening to her parents fight. God wasn’t there to stop them all from leaving. He wasn’t there when she was beat up. He didn’t come down from the High Heavens to tell her she was fucking it up. No. God wouldn’t let his children suffer, right?She just really wishes everything turns out okay because it hurts too much. 

Hermione is driving the car. Betty can’t remember the last time she saw her driving but she assumes she just wants to make Alice feel more comfortable. She can’t help the nervousness she feels. They’re officially signing her mother in for rehab, paid by the Lodges and she hates that but she can see that they have to do it. Ronnie’s right beside her while Alice is on the passenger next to Hermione. 

Her mother’s been quiet, ever since she woke her up so they could go. She understands, there’s no way of knowing when she’ll be out or how she’ll take the treatments. Hermione assured her that this was a great clinic and that her mother was in good hands. She just wanted her mother back. And she wanted to trust that sending her to the clinic would do just that. 

When the car comes to a stop, parked in front of the clinic, Betty takes a deep breath before opening the door and getting out of the car. It looks nice from the outside, a tall building with a cute little garden up front, with yellow walls and the columns up front, forming what Betty vaguely remembers seeing in pictures of Greek temples. It’s nice, almost too nice and Betty thinks of how much money must be going into this. It makes her feel guilty. This was their problem not the Lodge’s and no matter how many times Veronica assured her that it was because they wanted to, it still had her hesitant about everything. 

She helps her mother with her bags as Hermione goes to check her in. Veronica stands back a bit, wanting to give them privacy. 

The whole process of a nurse, who was admittedly quite nice, showing them the facility makes Betty’s head spin. But it’s nicer than she thought, there’s nice flowers and it’s all very warm and inviting, there’s no smell of disinfectant in the air as there is in hospitals, it all feels surprisingly welcoming. Betty thinks this gives her hope. Hope that it all be better when it’s all over. 

When the tour is over and done with, the most dreaded moment of the day arrives. Hermione and Ronnie go back to the car. Now it’s time to say goodbye. 

Her mother is tearful as Betty embraces her. “I’m gonna miss you.” She whispers against her shoulder. 

“Oh, baby, I’ll miss you too. So much.” Alice sniffles, rubbing her daughter’s cheek when she pulls away. 

“You’re gonna get better.” Betty nods. “And we’re gonna be okay. Promise you’ll try as hard as you can to hold on, mom.” She asks softly. 

“I want to be okay.” Alice tells her, her voice cracking. “For you.” 

Betty offers her a small smile as she hands her the bag she’d been carrying. “Mom?” She calls when her mother’s being guided by a nurse to her room. 

“Yes, Elizabeth?” She turns to her. 

Betty breathes in deeply. “I...I love you.” 

The corner of Alice’s lips turn upwards. “To the moon and back.” 

She watches her mother walk away and her throat tightens. Her eyes water, feeling a sob wreck through her body at the relief that rushes through her. She didn’t cry. She hadn’t cried watching Hal leave or when Polly left but she was crying now. It was like there wasn’t anyone else she needed to stay strong for. Her mother was going to be okay. She was going to be better and she would smile with her whole heart. Her mother would love her. Her mother loves her. It felt like there was huge weight lifted off her shoulders, like she could finally breathe. She had doubts, doubts that it could actually happen but the thought of having her mother safe, to know that she wasn’t home crying herself to sleep with a bottle of whiskey in her hand, drinking to her certain death was enough to cause the tears to spill over. And it felt so good to let go, it felt so good to cry because in the midst of all the pain, she’d been staying strong and taking care of others, she forgot to let herself grieve. 

“Betty?” She hears Ronnie’s voice calling from behind her and she turns around. She notices how her best friend’s eyes widen when she sees her crying. “Shit, are you crying?” She crosses the distance, wrapping her arms around her friend. “This is a good thing, B.” 

“I’m just relived, Ronnie.” She breathes, laughing softly while still crying. 

“You’re crying. I know this is stupid but the last time I saw you cry was probably in like middle school.” Ronnie smiles, brushing a strand of hair out of Betty’s face. “She’s gonna be okay.” 

Betty nods. “Yeah, I think she will.” 

•

Betty has a very vivid memory of Ronnie’s tenth birthday party. It was a party that no ten year old needed for sure, too many presents, too much food for not that many people but Veronica wasn’t really paying attention to any of those things. As always the group of five friends, Betty, Veronica, Toni, Sweet Pea and Fangs, were playing together, running around the house with huge smiles on their faces. She remembered how genuinely nice the Lodges were and how she’d slept over. It wasn’t the first time she had, but there was something different about that one time. Perhaps because she realized how truly distant Ronnie’s life was from hers but how wonderful it was that it didn’t matter at all. Not to either of them. Ronnie was her best friend, even more than Toni or Sweet Pea or even Fangs. They just connected in a way that neither could explain. Ronnie wasn’t just a friend, she was like her sister. With one look, she could see right through whatever facade she was putting on. Ronnie was one of the few people in the world who could actually make her laugh on a bad day. 

“B?” She hears Veronica come up to her as she’s looking out the window. “How are you feeling?” 

She smiles softly. “I’m okay.” She murmurs as Veronica steps closer, standing beside her. “Thank you. For everything.” 

Veronica shakes her head. “It’s fine.” 

“No, Ronnie, I mean it.” She insists, her head turning to look at her best friend. “You’ve done so much for me. And I don’t think I’ll ever be able repay all that you do. All that your family’s done for me.” 

“I love you, B. And I just want things to be okay for you. I want you to be happy.” Veronica wraps an arm around her shoulder, smiling at her. A beat passed and Betty’s phone vibrated, snapping the two girls out of their conversation. It was Jughead calling. 

“Sorry, that’s Jughead.” Betty feels her heart accelerating at the thought of him. That boy was making her feel things she had never felt before. 

Veronica smirks at her, a teasing glint in her eyes. “I’ll leave you to it. Tell him I said hi.” Betty rolls her eyes as she laughs, leaving the room. 

She swipes her phone, answering the call. “Jug?” 

“Hey, beautiful.” She can hear the smile in his voice. 

“To what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?” Betty asks, grinning. 

“I’m taking you out tonight.” 

“Like on a date? Where?” 

“A date, yes. That is exactly what we’re doing.” He tells her. “And the where is a surprise.” 

“I haven’t said yes yet.” She teases him. 

“I didn’t ask, Betty Cooper.” He says and she laughs. “I’ll pick you up at six.” 

“In your car?” 

“In my baby, Betty.” 

“I thought I was your baby.” She smirks. 

“I know for a fact you’re no one’s baby.” 

“Touché.” She can’t help the smile that stretches across her lips as she’s talking to him, he seems to have the ability to make her smile no matter what’s happening and Betty knows she’s in trouble, because the simple thought of him and his jokes and his boyish grin give her, even on a bad day, the smallest bit of light to keep walking. 

“At six. Where will you be?” He questions. 

“Veronica’s.” She answers. 

“Veronica’s at six. See you then.” He says. 

•

He’s annoyingly handsome, standing in the middle of the living room waiting for her with a single white rose in his hand. He’s wearing a white button up in black pants, simple yet it made her want to forego the entire date and just take him to her bedroom (baby steps, Betty, baby steps). She reminded herself to relax because it was just him, the boy who wanted to love her, the boy who made her smile, above all the boy she wanted to love. She was falling fast for him, with every little bit of him she got to know, with every stupid joke he made that made her smile, with every detailed discussion they had about how the universe couldn’t possibly have been created out of nothing. Betty thinks that what she feels for him couldn’t either. 

She had never believed in reincarnation but Jughead was testing her. Perhaps they had been lovers in Ancient Greece, perhaps they had seen the rise and fall of Athens together, how Pericles had rebuilt it from the ashes of war. Jughead would probably say that she’d been Helen of Troy and he’d been Paris, Betty would remind him that Paris kidnapped Helen and then later died. Paris was coward. Jughead would not be Paris. 

Perhaps they had loved each other in Florence in the Renaissance, perhaps he’d been a painter just as now he paints worlds with his words and she’d been his muse and his lover. She sincerely hoped that if she died, she’d go like Raphael. 

When Jughead sees her, his eyes light up. “Hey, Juliet.” He grins. 

She laughs. “Sorry, I’m missing the balcony and the controlling parents, Romeo.” She walks over to him and takes the rose he’s offering before pressing her lips against his in a slow kiss. She’d kiss him all day but it seems that human bodies need air to live. 

When they pulls away, he’s still gripping her waist, smiling so wide it makes her smile. “Please, greet me like that everyday for the rest of my life.” 

She chuckles, her hand playing his the hairs at the back of his neck. “Romeo and Juliet don’t live happily ever after. I don’t see how that would work.” 

“Good thing you’re missing the balcony.” He says and she laughs. “You look beautiful, Betts.” 

She pecks his lips quickly, not wanting to get caught up in him. “So do you, Jones.” 

“I look beautiful?” He smirks. 

“Fucking beautiful.” She nods her head and he laughs, throwing his head back. 

“Look at you two.” Veronica’s heels click on the hardwood floor as she comes up to them. 

“Hello, Veronica.” Jughead greets, keeping one arm around Betty’s waist. 

“Hi, Jones.” Veronica smirks at them and Betty’s fights the urge to roll her eyes. “Is it safe to assume that you’ll be a gentleman to the B to my V?” 

Jughead glances at Betty, who’s wearing an amused look on her face. “Like the queen she is.” He says, smirking. 

“We should get going, right, Jug?” Betty eyes him. 

“Yup. We’d love to stay and chat but we really should.” Jughead adds quickly. “Nice to see you, Veronica.” 

“Have fun lovebirds! Behave! Let me know if you sneak Jughead back in later!” Veronica calls out after them. 

•

He’s talking about his little sister. Jellybean, real name Forsythia, is a fiery spirit filled with energy from what Betty’s heard. Jughead’s eyes sparkle as he talks about her. As he tells Betty the story of the day Jellybean was born and how excited he’d been about being a big brother. He tells her how when he first laid eyes on the tiny little baby, swaddled in a pink blanket, he’d vowed to protect her forever. It’s clear how much he loves her. The adoration is present on his face. 

In her brief period of knowing Jughead Jones, she knows that when he cares, he cares with his whole being, loves with his whole soul. Betty finds herself thinking what it’d be like to be loved by him. She finds herself wanting to be loved by him. 

“I’ll have you two meet sometime. She’ll love you.” Jughead says and Betty’s heart skip a beat. She’s never had a boy wanting her to meet his family. “Sorry- did I say something wrong? I didn’t mean that you have- shit-“ 

Betty laughs softly. “Jug, stop it.” She grabs his hand, lacing their fingers together. “I’d love to meet her sometime. She sounds amazing.” 

He smiles, kissing her cheek. “So, how’s the date so far?” He asks and she snuggles closer to him, arm draped across his chest. 

“A candle lit dinner by Sweetwater River and a blanket to watch the stars is a winner in my book.” She tells him. “How you pulled this off is lost on me? I didn’t even know this place existed.” 

“My dad actually helped built the gazebo a while back. The guy who owns this place is a friend of his, so I pulled in a favors and here we are.” He explains. “You honestly like it?” 

She looks at his, chin resting on his chest. “I do. I’m glad there wasn’t a fancy dinner at a crowed restaurant. This feels perfect.” She smiles softly and then returns back to her spot, head on his chest. “Can I tell you about something?” 

“Always.” He mumbles before pressing a kiss to her head. 

“I dropped my mom off at rehab this morning.” She tells him and he doesn’t say anything just waits for her to continue. “I’m living with Ronnie for now. And I hated seeing her going in that building but I felt relieved, Jug. Like things could actually work out this time.” 

Jughead runs a hand through her hair. “I know you must be tired of hearing this but it will, Betty. It’s gonna be okay.” 

“I’m starting to believe that but there’s always an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Usually when things start looking up, it’s when it all comes crashing down.” 

“Betts,” He breathes out. “You just have to hope for the best. I can’t promise you it won’t ever go wrong or that you won’t get hurt again but it’s gonna get better. You have to believe that.” 

And Betty would love to believe that. She’d love to believe that her life would actually get on the right tracks. But that tiny hope she felt dropping her mother off, would soon be overshadowed by a phone call, a phone call which interrupts a kiss and has Jughead dropping a nervous Betty at the Whyte Wyrm. With a ushered kiss and promise to call later, Jughead is left once again with the pieces of the puzzle that is Betty Cooper in his hands, but there always seems to be one piece missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any suggestions or comments are welcome and very much appreciated! Hope you like it
> 
> Lots of love xx


	7. Start a War

VII 

She barely registers Jughead’s question of ‘are you okay?’ before she’s out the door, shutting it behind her before walking quickly to the bar. Jughead watches her go, the ending of their perfect date ruined by a phone call. The phone call which left Betty a nervous mess of what Jughead could only identify as anger and then her determination to keep it together. He could still hear her deep breaths in his head when he got home, Jellybean questioning him about the date which had gone amazing but had ultimately been ruined by whatever was happening in that bar on the Southside where he had dropped Betty off. 

On the other side of town, in the middle of the Whyte Wyrm, stood Betty Cooper with Fangs, Toni, Sweet Pea and other Serpents. 

“They burned down most of the trailer park. They trashed the Wyrm.” Olivia Wright was a fifty year old woman Betty had known all her life, her mother’s right hand, the woman who had been running the Serpents since her mother started drinking. She was smart, cunning, a true snake in all its symbology. 

The Whyte Wyrm had been mostly destroyed. There were bottles shattered on the floor, tables smashed and chairs spread out all across the room, the pool table was broken, there was spray paint all over the place with messages like ‘THIS IS OURS’ or ‘WE’LL BURN YOU TO THE GROUND, SNAKES’ and others not so articulate. 

Betty, in true Betty Cooper fashion, began to feel the familiar anger cursing through her body like wildfire spreading across a forest in dry weather. The kind of anger that Fangs, watching her like a hawk, knew would be unstoppable once he gave her the information he called her for. Fangs knows Betty and he knows that the Betty, whose hands are clenching into fists, knuckles turning white, is the dangerous Betty people talk about. Dangerous. Reckless. Unpredictable. Ready to snap at any moment. 

“Ghoulies?” Betty questions, her voice cold and harsh. Olivia nods back at her and she locks her jaw. 

“This means war. They’re messing with our turf. Burning our homes, our bar. We need to fucking end them!” Sweet Pea’s voice roars throughout the bar, greeted with a few cheers before Olivia puts an end to it. 

“No one’s going to war! I know we were attacked, but we need to take a step back!” Olivia speaks out and Sweet Pea scoffs. “Enough of that, Sweet Pea! We need to be smart about this! This is what they want, for us to go to them! But then we’ll be outnumbered, waging a war we can’t win! Is that what you want? For them to crush us? For them to burn us to the ground?!” Sweet Pea looks at Olivia with a menacing look on her face. 

“Liv’s right.” Betty speaks up. “Malachai’s up to something bigger than this. We do need to be smart.” 

“You won’t be saying that when-“ Sweet Pea spats but is cut off by Fangs calling his name. 

Betty narrows her eyes at them. “What are you not telling me?” Her question is met with silence, Toni looking at Fangs with a concerned expression on her face. “Fangs?” 

Fangs sighs, looking at his feet but Olivia who’s standing in front of Betty breaks the silence. “They didn’t just destroy the Wyrm or Sunnyside. They wrecked your apartment, Betty.” Olivia tells her. “We’re guessing that was Malachai on his own.”

•

Fangs is talking to her but she’s not listening, as she walks up the stairs to the apartment, her family’s apartment. When she reaches the top of the stairs, the door of the apartment is down on the floor, having been broken into. She walks through the door, Fangs following her with Toni and Sweet Pea. 

There’s pieces of glass on the floor, the mirror that was in the hall is shattered, the couch is ruined, the table is turned upside down, everything is out of place, almost unrecognizable. 

“I’m gonna kill him.” Betty hisses before getting out of the apartment. 

“Betty?!” Fangs runs after her, grabbing her arm. “You’re not going anywhere until you calm the fuck down.” 

“And let him get away with this shit? I’m done with him.” 

“What happened last time you went after him, huh? You want a repeat of that?” 

“That was different and you know it.” 

“Yeah, his friend was a dick to Toni so you beat him to a pulp and then his crew almost killed you. You were in a coma for three fucking weeks!” Fangs’ voice raises, he practically screaming in her face and Betty looks away from him. “What happens this time when you go directly to Malachai? Do you have a death wish, B?” 

Betty locks her jaw and then looks back at Fangs. “His friend almost raped her, Fangs. He wasn’t a dick, he was a rapist and it was fucking worth it.” 

Fangs visibly softens, his hand dropping from her arm. “I just don’t want that to happen again. Those three weeks were hell and Malachai’s out for your blood this time.” 

“And I’m out for his. You know where this ends, Fangs. It won’t stop until someone makes a move. Malachai just made his. Now it’s my turn.” 

“Then you play the game, Betty. But you make the right move. You go home, you sleep on it and then we’ll figure out. I’m not letting cross the city to knock Malachai’s door.” He shakes his head and Betty breathes out. “You’ve learnt your lesson. There’s no use in fighting battles alone. You only end up losing.” 

•

The next day, she wakes up to three messages from Jughead asking if she’s okay. She wants to lie to him. Say she’s fine but she knew that even if she did, he wouldn’t believe her and then all she wanted was him. Him with his arms around her, him tuning out the chaos. She was falling for him so fast, so suddenly and to think about him in danger because of her made her stomach churn. And that’s exactly what would happen, this war, Ghoulies vs Serpents would put him right in the crossfire. She could barely stand the thought of him getting hurt. 

The whole day is rather uneventful and she manages to avoid Jughead just until she gets her shit together to actually talk to him without being unreasonably cold or harsh when he didn’t deserve it. 

She lights up the cigarette, the smoke filling up her lungs making her visibly relax, as she leans against the wall. 

“I thought you were going to quit?” She hears Jughead’s voice but it doesn’t seem to startle her, she just keeps her eyes trained on the scene in front of her, watching the cars go by. 

“Some things are just too hard to quit.” She tells him simply and he walks towards her, stopping beside her, leaning against the wall just like her. There’s silence, none of them saying anything but she can feel the unanswered questions from Jughead hanging on the tip of his tongue, hesitant to be asked. “If there’s something you wanna say, just do it, Jug.” She sighs. 

“Are you okay?” He asks. 

“No.” 

He glances at her, his eyes following as she bring the cigarette to her lips, taking a drag. “I just wanna know what’s going on, Betts. We had such a good night and then you got that phone call and it turned to shit.” 

“Don’t worry about me, Jug.” She says and he scoffs. 

“I care about you. I’m always going to worry, Betty. It comes with the territory. I just wish you’d let me in. Tell me what’s happening so I can help.” He sounds so sincere, so caring and she hates it. She just wishes he wasn’t so good to her, it’d be so much easier to let him go. But when she stares at his eyes, all she wants to do is hold him forever. 

“You can’t help, Jug.” She tells him. “I’m in a gang. Shit happens. And that night...let’s just say that someone started a war.” 

“A war?” He furrows his brows. “What do you mean? Betty. Are you in danger?” 

“They are.” She says bitterly. “It’s better if we leave it at that, Jug.” 

“Babe...” He breathes out, his hands reaching out for her waist and she lets him because quite frankly she can’t think of anything better than being in his arms. She looks up at him and then throws her cigarette on the ground so she can place both her hands on his cheeks. 

“You don’t understand my world, Jug. I’m not sure I understand it either. But you don’t belong with that bullshit and if I could I’d leave it all behind just to be normal for once.” She looks into his eyes, rubbing his cheek. 

“I belong with you, Betts.” He tells her softly and she sighs, pressing her forehead against his chest. 

“It’s too soon.” She mumbles against the fabric of his t-shirt. 

“What?” 

“These feelings, all these things you say, Jug. It’s too soon. You can’t possibly be willing to keep this up.” 

“You always complicate things, Betty. People feel the way they feel and they can’t just stop. That’s not how it works.” She can feel his voice vibrating through his chest, his hands squeezing her waist gently. “Call me a romantic, but from the moment I laid my eyes on you, there was this magnetic pull between us.” 

She pulls away to look at him, a soft smile playing on her lips. “You are a romantic, Jones. And I’m a realist.” Her green eyes stare up at him, traveling from his lips to his eyes. 

“And that’s a good thing. You pull me back on the ground when I’m ready to fly and I’m here to make you dream a little, to whisk you out of this gloomy world you entrap yourself in. I’m just asking you to take my hand, to pull me in so I can pull you out.” His voice soft, his words wrapping her in a figurative blanket of safety and she so desperately wants to fall in. “Let’s get out of here. Go somewhere. I’ll drive.” 

Half an hour later they’re by the river’s edge, the Serpent Princess and the boy from the Northside that had swept her off her feet, looking out at the scenery in front of them, enjoying the quiet. Her head is resting on his shoulder, his arm wrapped around her. 

Betty decides she should tell him, just in case he wants to run for the hills when he realizes exactly what he had gotten himself into by being with her. “Do you remember that guy from cliff?” She starts. 

“Mal...” He trails off. 

She nods. “Malachai.” She lifts her head to look at him. “He’s a Ghoulie. The Serpents’ rival. Always looking for conflict. It was established decades ago that in order to keep the peace, each of the gangs would have a specific territory. We have Sunnyside trailer park, the Wyrm and so on, the Ghoulies have the less desirable part of the Southside. It was my grandfather who struck the deal.” She pauses for second, sighing. “At the time, the Serpents were stronger than the Ghoulies, more dangerous so the Ghoulies had no choice but to take it, otherwise they’d be fighting a battle they’d lose. When my mom took over as Serpent Queen, she managed to keep the peace until Malachai became the leader of the Ghoulies. He’s dangerous and he started dealing heavy drugs, started recruiting kids, many Serpents deserted to be part of the Ghoulies because it was easy money. They’re stronger now than they were back when my grandfather was leader.” 

Jughead nods his head along. “So the Ghoulies...they did something that night?” He asks. 

A look of anger flashes through her. “Yes. They burned down Sunnyside, trashed the Wyrm, my apartment.” She scoffed, running a hand through her hair. 

“Why didn’t you call the police?” 

Betty laughs bitterly. “Yeah and say what? That our rival gang destroyed our territory? No one would give a fuck, they’d probably just arrest us all, Jughead. It’s not the Northside. The Mayor will probably be happy that there’s a war happening. If we’re all fighting on the Southside, then at least it’ll wipe out half of us.” 

Jughead sighs, shaking his head. “I hate that. I hate that there’s a Northside and a Southside and that there’s all this shit surrounding this. I hate the system, Betty. It’s fucked up.” 

“Tell me about it.” She breathes out.

“So what’s gonna happen now?” He asks tentatively. “I mean with everything? What happens?” 

She turns to look at him. “I...I actually don’t know. We’re coming up with a plan. They’re stronger than us, Jug. It’s not gonna be easy.” 

“Just hope for the best?” 

“I don’t think there’s a better outcome in all this, to be honest.” Betty sighs, resigned and Jughead kisses her head, pulling her even closer. “I just want you safe, Jug. Away from this. Do you understand?” She grabs his face, but he looks unconvinced. “Jug, please. I can’t stand the thought of you getting hurt, baby.” 

Jughead presses his lips to hers for a moment. “I can’t stand the thought of you getting hurt either, Betts. Be careful, please. For me.” 

Betty looks away, out at the river. “I don’t make promises I can’t keep, Jughead. I know Malachai. There’s gonna come a point when things will get ugly. Most Serpents are already out for revenge and yesterday I was ready to march up to Malachai’s door-“ 

“Betts, why would you even think of doing that?” He asks, shaking his head in disbelief. 

“I can be dangerous too, Jughead. I can hold my own in a fight.” Betty protests, a soft smirk tugging at her lips and he rolls his eyes. “‘They’ said I was dangerous, didn’t they?” His mind goes back to their first conversation and there’s a swell in his chest because he could love this girl with everything he has. 

“That’s actually kinda hot, Betty Cooper.” 

She chuckles and then tilts her head. “Yeah?” He nods. “Anything you wanna do about that?” 

His eyes darken at her words, the way she says them does something to him. “Don’t tempt me.” 

“I wouldn’t be totally opposed to you doing something about it.” She pushes him down on the ground and pulls one leg over his body, straddling him. 

“Jesus, Betts. Don’t do that to me.” He breathes out, his hands reaching for her body as she leans down to press a kiss to his lips, a kiss that holds desire, a way she had never kissed him before. “You’re gonna kill me.” He says as she moves from his mouth to his jaw and then to his neck, leaving butterfly kisses across his skin. 

“I want you, Jug.” She looks into his eyes and she kisses him, hungry and feverish and his brain forgets how to function until she pulls away and he realizes her wants more. Wants all she has. 

“You wanna come over tomorrow? After school?” He questions after a few minutes, when he flips her over, hovering above her, his hands finding the skin beneath her t shirt. “We could have pizza, watch movies.” 

She smirks, caressing his jaw her finger. “Is that all we’ll do, babe?” 

“You’re playing a dangerous game, Cooper.” 

“Punish me then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you feel about this!!!! I hope you like it!


	8. Sound the Alarm

Jellybean is talking excitedly about the new coloring kit that FP got her. Jughead can’t help but smile, his smile tinged with the kind of love no one can really explain. When JB was born, Jughead felt as though his heart had doubled in size. It was strange to see this tiny baby swaddled in pink, it was weird that the being that had grown inside his mother for months was now out in the world and he could actually hold her, that her kicks were no longer something he felt, when she moved, he saw it with his own two eyes. He felt a protectiveness over her as her older brother, even more so as she grew up. Jellybean is smart, funnier than him and full of energy, the kind of energy that is contagious. You smile without even knowing why when you’re with her. 

When Gladys left them, his father was heartbroken. There were days when all he ever did was walk from the bed to the couch. He just went to work, did the bare minimum and then slept until the late morning. During that time, too wrapped up in his own pain, his father had forgotten that his children were in pain too. Jughead grabbed onto what he thought would help him. He took care of Jellybean, fed her, read her stories before bed and put a smile on her face while he was hurting. He focused on school, did his best but he cried himself to sleep each night, feeling as though he was never good enough for people. 

Then Fred Andrews had stepped in. He made his best friend snap out of his pain. FP agreed to therapy, one Fred recommended from when he got divorced, and Jughead had also went. It felt good to talk about his feelings, to learn to look at it differently and to realize that maybe it wasn’t his fault, but his mother’s. Because she left them, her family, for a man she barely knew. And it wasn’t because he was unlovable, but because his mother was unable to love. It changed his view on everything. And it made him want to help Betty even more when he though of the lesson he’d learnt. 

Betty was amazing. The kind of amazing that you can’t help but gaze at, the kind you were surprised by but so unbelievably enthralled. And Jughead was captivated, falling a little more everyday. He just wanted her to see herself the way he saw her. He wanted her to see that her smile could brighten up his day, that her eyes seemed to look into his soul every time they met his. 

“Juggie, you’re not listening!” Jellybean snapped him out of his daze named Betty. 

“Sorry, princess.” He smiles at her and she starts to tell him about the kid at school. With Jellybean, she’s content with having a listener, she would talk all day long if you stayed to listen.

“Hey, you wanna go to Pop’s?” He asks after a while, interrupting her monologue. 

She lights up. “Yes, please!” 

The drive to Pop’s is quick and in a few minutes, they’re in their favorite booth, Jellybean delighted over the strawberry milkshake and the burgers, she’s still chattering, going on and on about the day she’ll have as soon as morning starts. FP is taking her with him to LA where he has this meeting, they’re planning on going to Disneyland. Jughead was staying, insisting that FP and JB should have some one on one time, he’d been to Disneyland and besides this was his final year at school. But most of all, Betty Cooper was coming over to his house after the football game. 

JB sees her first. Jughead has his back turned to the door when she walks in. The blonde beauty that had stolen his heart greeted Pop Tate with a smile on her face, Veronica with her. 

“Hey, Jug? Your girlfriend’s here.” He snaps his head back in the direction Jellybean is looking. “Betty!” Jellybean calls out and Jughead glares at her, cursing his sister for her unfiltered being but then Betty’s walking over with a huge smile on her face, Jughead remembers that she’s actually his girlfriend. That Betty Cooper wants to be with him, even though she thinks he doesn’t deserve her when it’s the other way around. There is no way he is worthy of an angel such as her. 

She’s grinning at him. “Hi, guys! Mind if I sit here?” 

“No, no, go ahead.” Jughead tells her and Betty takes a seat beside him. “Hey, you.” He smiles, leaning over to press a kiss to her cheek. 

“Juggie, are you not going to introduce me to your girlfriend?” Jellybean says sassily, taking a sip of her milkshake. 

Jughead laughs softly. “Sure, princess.” He glances at Betty. “Betts, this is Jellybe-“ 

“JB!” The little girl rolls her eyes, correcting him. 

“Right, I forgot you have to be cool now.” Jughead teases her. “Betty, this is JB. JB, this is Betty.” Betty laughs softly, amused with the dynamic between the two siblings. Her heart ached, her mind reliving the time her sister was around, when there was playful banter between them. She missed Polly like hell, but she didn’t resent her decision to leave. 

“Hey. It’s nice to finally meet you, JB.” Betty tell her, a warm smile on her face. “Your brother told me a lot about you.” 

Jellybean glares at Jughead. “Oh my god, you told her embarrassing things, didn’t you?!” 

“What?! No, just all your best qualities, JB.” Jughead smirks at his sister. 

“Jughead, I have dirt on you. If you told her things about me, I’ll have to tell her things about you. An eye for an eye.” Jellybean smiles mischievously. 

“You’ll have to tell me the dirt you have on him anyway, JB. I’d love to hear it sometime.” Betty grins at Jughead. 

He groans. “Please don’t team up against me. I’m not sure I can take it.” He says dramatically. Betty places her hand on his thigh, a smile playing on her lips as she looks at him. 

“Betty, can I ask you something?” JB questions, a sweet smile on her face. 

“Sure.” Betty nods. 

“Can I ride your bike?” 

Jughead snorts. “And give dad a heart attack, JB?” 

“Dad doesn’t have to know, Juggie.” Jellybean says. “Pretty please? I’ve never been on a motorcycle before!” 

“If your brother agrees, I’ll take you on a ride sometime.” Betty tells her and then glances over at Jughead. “Jug?” He stares at her, incredulous at how easily JB managed to convince her but JB has a weird way of getting to people, she’s too adorable for her own good. 

“Do you have a helmet for a kid?” He asks. 

“No, but mine is adjustable. She can just wear mine.” The concern etched across Jughead’s face is incredibly sweet and Betty melts a little at how soft he looks. Obviously he’s been gentle and warm and kind with her, but it’s different with JB, there’s more layers to it, a different type of love and goes so deep it’s unbreakable. 

“Juggie, I promise you’ll be on my good side for a very long time!” JB pleads, her blue eyes staring right into his and Jughead’s long gone at that point. 

Jughead sighs. “Fine! Betty can take you on a ride. Let’s just hope you don’t develop a taste for it. Dad will really have a heart attack if you ask him for a bike when you’re older.” Betty laughs softly, leaning over to kiss his cheek. 

•

JB’s in the bathroom when Jughead presses a kiss to Betty’s lips. “I’m so glad you’re here.” Betty mumbles and Jughead’s face twists in the same way it had when they spoke of JB’s ride on Betty’s bike. 

“You okay, Betts?” 

“I’m okay, Jug. Don’t worry.” She rubs his cheek. “I’m just...I don’t know...tired of everything.” She sighs. His eyes are so gentle as they look at her yet there’s the same intensity that drew her in from the first time she saw them. He’s so overwhelming. If she were poet, she’d write him a million sonnets just about his eyes alone. But she’s no poet, nor is she an artist to create beautiful things just to show him how breathtaking he is, how he makes her feel. 

He’d disagree. Her lips carve beautiful masterpieces of feelings and color into his. Her heart paints a wonderful picture in the world, sometimes a dark picture but a beautiful picture still. As her fingers trail his jaw, his arm, she draws onto his skin her thoughts, absentmindedly, just as Jackson Pollock did with his paintings. She’s an artist and her masterpieces aren’t in the Louvre or the Guggenheim nor are they in the form of words, written onto pages or in song, instead they live in each life she’s touched. 

“I’m here. Always. Even if you just want a burger from Pop’s. I’m here.” He murmurs, with a soft smile on his face. She tugs his face closer to hers, kissing him. It’s a thank you kiss, a grateful kiss for what he’s been to her. 

“Are you coming to the game tomorrow?” Betty asks. 

“Are you?” 

“Uh Yeah, since Sweet Pea joined the team, I think It’d be nice to be there for him. And Ronnie has been nagging me to go to a game with her for ages.” Betty chuckles, shaking her head. 

“I’ll go.” 

“Yeah? I know that’s not really your scene but maybe it’ll be fun and Ronnie’s throwing a party afterwards too.” She tells him. 

“Aren’t Veronica’s parties a little over the top? I’ve never really been.” 

Betty chuckles. “Yeah, they kind of are. That’s usually why I escape early or find a place to hide out until it’s clear.” 

“Then I guess we’ll escape together then. We’re still on tomorrow?” He questions somewhat nervously. Betty smiles at him, nodding her head. 

“I’ll be there.” 

•

Jughead’s not expecting it to sound so loud when he gets there. People are cheering and it’s all so annoyingly cheerful, he fights to urge to gag. Definitely in a hyperbolic sense, maybe, he’s not sure. He can’t remember the last time Archie had dragged him to a football game and to be fully honest, he’s glad he doesn’t. He doesn’t like the hype surrounding it, people are almost always too over the top and it makes him uncomfortable. Besides that, he doesn’t really care much about football. 

He cares about Betty Cooper though. And that’s enough to bring him to the football game. He spots her somewhere in the middle of the Serpents, but doesn’t immediately move from his place, hiding by the side of the bleachers. She fits in so well with them, leather clad in the middle of them, a gorgeous smile on her lips as she talks to Toni. 

“You hiding out, bro?” Archie’s voice startles. 

“What the fuck, Arch?! You can’t just sneak up on people like that!” He’s holding chest causing Archie to laugh. “And I’m not hiding. Just taking in the scene.” 

“Yeah, one named Betty Cooper, huh?” Archie’s got a boyish grin on his face. 

“I think I’m allowed to look at my girlfriend.” Jughead rolls his eyes. “Shouldn’t you be in a locker room getting some sort of motivational speech?” 

“I saw you, just came to say hi.” Archie says simply. 

Jughead laughs softly. “Hi.” He greets before his eyes dart over to Betty, watching as she laughs. 

“Alright, I gotta go. Go see your girl.” 

“Good luck, Archibald!” Jughead calls out after him with a grin. He turns his gaze back to Betty. “Let’s do this.” He mutters to himself and takes the first step towards Betty. She spots him easily as her eyes roam around and she lights up at the sight of him, he has a hard time believing he’s the source of that beautiful smile. 

“Jug!” She calls out to him and he speeds up as he finds his way to the seat she’d saved for him. Her arms are open to him and he gladly obliges, wrapping his around her waist. “Hey, you.” She murmurs, her hand finding its way through his hair. It sends literal shivers down his spine when she pulls away to look at him. He pulls her in for a kiss, grinning. 

“Hi.” He whispers. 

“Yo, lovebirds!” Toni smirks, interrupting their moment. “Game’s starting.” 

For the life of him, Jughead just can’t figure out football. Granted he’s never really tried, usually when Archie talks football, he tunes out, so for the duration of the game, he focuses on Betty. Who is just quietly watching the game, despite Toni’s loud cheers. She’s leaning against him, hand intertwined with his. She sends him smiles, leans over to peck his cheek a few times. And she light up a cigarette and she smokes and truthfully, Jughead’s never really been a fan of cigarettes, but Betty just looks hot when she smokes, especially with the shirt or rather, lack of, that she’s wearing. The cleavage is driving him insane. And he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t been thinking of their implied plans for the evening, so his pants are feeling a little too tight at the moment. 

The Bulldogs win the game and while everyone is cheering, he hears somewhere close the sound of engines roaring loudly. And it all happens faster than he has time to process. It doesn’t happen in slow motion. In a few brief moments, there’s a pickup truck and several motorcycles driving through the football field. In a few brief moments, Betty’s hand escapes his and she along with Toni climb down to the field. 

“Sorry to interrupt, princess! But we just had to send a message with every one listening!” Malachi grins wickedly, announcing himself loudly. 

“What the fuck is he on about?” Toni hisses beside Betty. 

“Malachi!” Betty yells. “You have some fucking nerve showing up here!” She steps closer to him. The crowd is eerily quiet, it sends a wave of anxiety through Jughead. 

“Oh come on, Cooper. Didn’t you miss me?” He smirks. 

“This is the Northside, Malachi. What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” 

“Well, tell me, princess, how long has it been since you raced?” Betty remains stoic in her place, eyeing Malachi. “You see, me and my crew wanna have a little fun tonight. And I was thinking, you and I could race. Like the old days.” 

“You’re in no position to challenge me, Mal. Do I have remind you what you did last week?” Betty spits. “And what? Now you wanna have fun when you started a goddamn war?”

“No, no, no, Princess. I wanna set the terms.” He tells her. “Let’s put it this way: I win, I get the Wyrm and Sunnyside. You win, I back off. Simple as that.” 

“We’re not playing your twisted games, Malachi!” Toni takes a step forwards towards Betty, standing a bit behind her. 

“Come on, Betty, how long has it been since you raced, huh? Bet you miss that, huh? The thrill, being behind the wheel. Almost like the Pit, right?” Betty stiffens at the mention. “You’re just full of vices, huh? At least it’s not booze like mommy dearest.” He lowers his voice, getting right in her face. She pushes him off and makes a move, punching him. Sweet Pea runs to them as the Ghoulies make a move at Betty. Malachi stops them, ordering them to step down. “Alright! We’re racing! Or all your pretty little Northside friends and your cute little boyfriend get fucked up!” Her heart stops at the mention of Jughead. All that she wanted was Jughead safe and as always, as everyone in her life, he isn’t. 

“Are you threatening us?” Cheryl Blossom, all high and mighty, dressed in her cheerleader outfit, seems to know nothing about the mess she tries to make. Neither does Reggie Mantle. 

“Yeah, go back where you came from, Southside trash!” Reggie boasts, from his spot. 

“Back the fuck down, Reggie! Do you honestly have a brain?! I’m tempted to let them kick your ass.” Betty barks at them, looking back and then she turns to Malachi. “I’ll race you. Give me an hour and I’ll meet you at the spot.” 

“Betty...” Toni murmurs, beside her but Betty ignores her friend, as the Ghoulies cheer. 

“May the best man or woman win!” Malachi smirks.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this is my first story in the Riverdale Universe! Hope you like it xx


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